The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets

What kind of mother keeps bats in the refrigerator, leaves the windows open so wild crows can fly into the house and doesn't flinch at tarantulas? A mother like Newbery Medalist George (Julie of the Wolves). In this true story about the orphaned animals her family raised and released (they had a permit for wild animal care), she uses her novelist's skill and humor in recounting the escapades of Crowbar, the clever family crow; of Yammer, a screech owl who liked to watch Road Runner cartoons; and of Goose and Duck, who loved riding in the car so much that they once flew into a police cruiser (and got arrested for disturbing the peace). Following tales of domestic delight amid the menagerie of crawfish, boas, wolverines, raccoons, mice and falcons, an epilogue describes the animal-related careers George's grown children now have. It's a one-of-a-kind lesson in living with nature in a far more literal sense than most people ever would undertake, endearingly told. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)